A New Beginning
by XavierLight
Summary: The mysterious land of Termina has been saved from the wrath of Majora and Link departs for Hyrule. Chance encounters on his journey lead to new discoveries, new evils arise and old friends reunite. A new chapter in Link's story is unfolding, the beginning of a new adventure in the Legend of Zelda.
1. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I do not own, or claim to own, The Legend of Zelda or related characters in way, shape or form. The Legend of Zelda and all related characters are the property of Nintendo. Original characters are my own creation.**

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_"The Lost Woods... a cursed place. Many have ventured deep into the forest but few have returned. Those that have returned tell of creatures that lurk within. Beasts that were once human but are no longer so. Only thieves and fools dare enter." _The words her father had said still echoed in her mind. She walked along the edge of the Lost Woods, her long black hair glistening in the morning sun. Her blue eyes followed a small bird as it soared through the sky. Her short red dress rippled with the breeze. The sounds of life around her made her feel happy but these were interrupted by another sound. She froze, looking around her. Nothing. The sound came again, coming from within the Lost Woods. She stood there, staring at the woods. She knew she wasn't supposed to go into the woods but her curiosity got the better of her as she slowly entered the woods, travelling deeper and deeper. The sound came again, much closer this time. A deep, inhuman laughter accompanied it. Again the sound echoed throughout the woods. The young girl recognized it as metal colliding with metal. She reached toward the bushes ahead and froze. _Pull yourself together Maria! You've come this far! _Her thoughts edged her on. A yell from beyond the bushes caught her attention. She moved the leaves aside to see. Metal greeted metal once again. Maria looked for the source and froze in fear. Four Stalfos, skeleton soldiers, stood before her, staring at someone or something. A young boy, no older than 12 was there. Dressed in a green tunic and hat with brown boots. In his left hand he held a small sword, while a shield was in his right. With a yell he charged, dodging a blow from the lead Stalfos and retaliating with one of his own. His sword cutting through the Stalfos' spine. 

"Heh, you'll have to do better then that!" the young boy said mockingly. Two of the Stalfos charged at him. With a speed Maria had never seen he'd dodged both Stalfos and began his attack. Maria watched in awe as the Stalfos were reduced to a pile of bones. The last Stalfos leapt into the air, sword raised, ready to strike. The boy rolled to the side, returning the sword to the scabbard on his back in a single motion. The Stalfos attempted another jump slash. The boy removed a small bow from his back and fired an arrow at his airborne target. The arrowhead glowed a pale blue as it flew toward its target. The arrow pierced the Stalfos' ribcage, magical energy emanating from the tip of the arrow. Maria stared in amazement as the Stalfos became encased in a block of ice and shattered as it hit the floor. The bones glowed for a moment before being engulfed in an unnatural blue flame. Maria moved back a little, trying to take in what she had just seen. _How...how can a boy do that?_ She wondered to herself. She moved forward again, hoping to catch another glance of the boy. He was nowhere to be seen. A voice from beside her caused her to jump.

"What ya lookin' at?" Maria turned around to find herself staring at the young boy, a smile spread across his face. Maria didn't answer, she simply stared at him.

"So, what's your name?" the boy asked.

"M-Maria..." she stammered.

"I'm Link." the boy replied. Maria stared at him. His ocean blue eyes were full of innocence and joy. She wondered how a child that young could defeat one Stalfos, let alone four. She had seen her father fight those creatures before but never with the same ease that Link had. A rustling to her right made Maria panic. Link simply stared at the bushes. A small brown horse, barely able to carry a child, emerged from the undergrowth. Link walked up to it and began to pet it. The horse gently nuzzled him. Link laughed.

"OK, OK. I happy to see you too Epona." Maria looked on as Link continued to laugh. She let out a small giggle. Link turned to face her, a small smile on his face.

"What brings you into the Lost Woods, Maria?" Link asked. Maria stared blankly at him for a moment before she replied.

"I heard some strange noises. I got curious and went looking for whatever was the source." Maria stared at the ground for a moment before she raised her head and spoke again.

"What about you? Why are you here?" Link simply smiled back at her.

"Just trying to get home." Maria was surprised by this reply. Before she could say anything more, Link butted in.

"It might be a good idea if we got out of here. The woods aren't exactly the safest place to be." Maria nodded in agreement. She didn't really want to end up cursed. Maria rose to her feet and dusted herself off. Maria looked at Link for a moment. _He seems almost at home here. _She began to wonder about Link. Maria knew it wasn't normal for a person to travel through the Lost Woods and it was even stranger for a child to do so. She turned away and began to walk back the way she came. Link followed her, Epona close behind him. Maria looked back over her shoulder to make sure Link was behind. To her surprise Link had stopped and was staring at a bush. Maria walked up to Link and began to speak but Link silenced her.

"We're not alone..." Link trailed off as his left hand reached for his sword. Maria slowly backed away, her gazed focused on the bush. She jumped as the bush began to rustle. It began to shake more and more violently. Maria held her breath as Link drew his sword. The forest had become silent. Maria felt her heart skip a beat as she waited for whatever was hiding to show itself.

"Link, is it..." Maria was cut short as a Stalfos burst out for the bush. Maria let out a scream. Link quickly assumed a defensive stance. He noticed something. The Stalfos was facing the bushes and was in the same stance. _It's almost as if it's fighting something... _Link thought to himself. The air around them seemed to grow darker with each passing second. The sounds of the woods had grown silent. The bushes began to rustle. Link's reflexes kicking with lightning speed. He turned and ran toward Maria as a large scythe cut the Stalfos in half. Maria was in shock at what she'd just seen. She stood there, frozen to the spot. Everything seemed to slow down as a large creature emerged from the forest. It seemed to resemble a shadow. The only feature she could make out were two glowing red eyes.


	2. Shadow's Edge

Maria wanted to run but her body wouldn't respond. All she could do was stare at the creature. Her thoughts suddenly snapped back as she felt Link grab her arm and pull her towards Epona. Before she realised it, Link was trying to get her onto Epona's back.

"Maria, you have to get out of here. I'll try and hold it off." Link raised his shield. He knew it wouldn't be easy. Maria stared at Link for a moment. She couldn't believe that a young boy was willing to throw himself into such a situation.

"But Link, you'll..." Maria began but Link quickly cut her off. He turned to face her.

"Maria, listen. I'll be fine." Link looked over his shoulder at the creature behind them. It hadn't noticed them, or at least didn't care.

"I'm just gonna get its attention for a while." Link said with a grin.

"I'll be behind you, so don't stop. Okay?" Maria nodded. She climbed up onto Epona's back. A low hiss from behind them made Link look back at the creature. It had turned to face them. Its red eye's glowing with the desire to destroy. Link gripped his sword tighter. He stared into the creature's eyes and saw only hatred and the craving for destruction. The creature lowered its head and screeched. Maria covered her ears to try and block out the noise. Link winced; the screeching seemed to pierce his very soul. He glanced over at Epona and Maria.

"Maria, go!" Link yelled. Maria nodded as Epona began to gallop towards the edge of the Lost Woods and daylight. Link turned back to the creature just in time to see it race towards him. Link braced himself. The creature swung its scythe at Link, only to have the boy leap over its razor-sharp edge. Link retaliated with a strike from his sword. The blade sliced through the creature's shadow-like body but caused no damage, as if the creature wasn't really there.

"This isn't going to well..." Link muttered to himself as he dodged another attack. Link front flipped over the scythe and slashed at his opponent. His sword once again passed through the creature's body harmlessly. _Great, now what?_ Link's mind began to race with possible ideas. _Wait! That might just work..._ Link sheathed his sword and placed the shield on his back. The creature saw this as its moment to strike. It raised its arms into the air and hissed, the scythe's blade gleaming in the light. Link's right hand dug deep into one of the pouches hanging from his brown leather belt. The creature swung its scythe with inhuman strength. Link leapt over the blade once again and brought out a small brown nut from within the pouch. He threw the nut towards the ground, the hard shell cracking on impact. A blinding flash of light burst out from within the nut, blinding Link's attacker. The creature let out a soul-piercing screech as it drew its head back in agony. As the creature writhed in agony, Link turned and ran, following the tracks Epona had left as she escaped. Trees and bushes became a blur of greens and browns as Link continued to run, the damp grass making it difficult to avoid slipping. Link stumbled, he placed one hand on the ground as he fell, regaining his balance and kept running.

"Gotta keep moving!" Link spurred himself on. The creature hissed as its prey tried to flee, giving chase once its vision had returned. Link noticed that the trees around him began to arch overhead, forming a tunnel. _Almost there… _a light ahead of him signalled the way out. Even with the light ahead, everything seemed to grow darker as he ran. Link glanced behind him to find nothing but trees. _Guess I lost it…_Link thought as the light grew brighter. Link looked ahead and smiled. He passed the last of the trees and everything went white. His vision cleared a few seconds later, revealing a wide open field. Link looked around as he ran into the open, hoping to find Maria and Epona. Deciding it was safe, Link stopped to catch his breath. He placed both hands on his knees and lent forward. Sweat ran down his face before falling to the grass below. A slight breeze blew, rippling across the field like an ocean of green. Link looked up, trying to catch sight of Epona. He spotted her drinking from a small stream, Maria standing next to her, waving.

"Hey!" Link waved back, a smile on his face. The wind died down and the air grew darker. Link looked around, unsure of what was happening but he had an idea. Turning to face the entrance of the woods, Link drew his sword and shield, his shield's reflective surface glistening in the sunlight. The air continued to grow darker as Maria watched on, unable to do anything. The branches of the trees began to shake, yet there was no wind. Link raised his shield, waiting for whatever was coming. The creature came charging out of the woods and straight at Link, causing him to roll to the side to dodge. It stopped and turned to face him. Link noticed that it was no longer holding a scythe. Its hands were empty, allowing Link to see its talons. The creature stared at Link, growling at him. It hissed, charging again. Link dodged to the side again, trying to think of a way to attack back against it. He put his sword away and removed his bow, keeping his shield ready at all times. _Let's see how this shadow likes the light…_Link cocked an arrow, its arrowhead radiating a faint golden glow. The creature tried to swipe at Link, only to have him fire his arrow at it. The arrowhead exploded in a blast of golden light as it impacted the creature's shoulder. The creature threw its head back in pain and screeched, clutching its wound.

"So you can be hurt!" Link grabbed another arrow and readied his bow again, aiming for the creature's head. Link fired the arrow, only to have it sail past his target.

"Uh-oh!" The creature smacked Link in the chest, sending the young boy flying through the air and into a tree. Link slid down the tree, landing on the ground with a thud. Link looked up, trying to remain conscious. He saw the creature hovering over him, looking down at its prey. Link raised his shield and waited for it to attack, but it didn't. It simply turned its head and stared at the Lost Woods, distracted by something. Link heard the creature growl and begin to leave as his vision starting to blur. The creature took one last look at the boy before melting into the shadows. Link looked across to see Epona and Maria heading over to him. Then darkness took its hold as his consciousness faded.


	3. Scratching the Legend's Surface

Darkness stretched on for as far as the eye could see; nothing visible to the one who travelled its endless reaches. _Where am I?_ Link tried to look around, moving but not walking. He couldn't feel his body, unable to hear any sounds. Total silence surrounded him; sensory depravation of the highest order greeted him on every side. The silence was broken by whispers from the darkness, murmurs growing louder with each passing moment. Link found himself trying to block everything out, hearing the voices growing louder.

"You don't belong…" He turned, finding the darkness gone. He could see clearly, looking down at his hands. He glanced around, realising he was standing in Hyrule Field. It was the field he knew and loved; only it was different, darker and barren. It looked like it did during Ganondorf's reign, dark clouds lingering in the sky.

"You don't belong…" Link spun around to face the voices, finding several children standing there. Each one wore similar clothes to his, forest green tunic and brown boots. More appeared, glowing balls of light hovering around them. Link recognised the lights as fairies, the children as Kokiri. One child stood out amongst the others, emerald green hair shimmering in the faint light.

"S-Saria?" He stared at her, trying to make sense of the vacant look on her face. She no longer seemed like the girl he'd grown up with, no longer the childhood friend who he had shared his youth with. He stepped forward, stopping when she spoke.

"You don't belong here Link; you don't belong in the forest. You're Hylian; you belong outside the forest…with them…" Link stared at her blankly, feeling tears begin to form in his eyes. He didn't have time to reply, the children before him seemed to ripple and distort before fading. More voices snapped him away from the empty space in front him, urging him to turn around. He obeyed, being greeted by a group of Hylian children. The same words hung in the air, haunting him. Their expressions were just as blank as those on the Kokiri, devoid of all emotion. A young girl stepped forward, her long red hair making her stand out from the crowd. Her clothes were simple, a plain white dress with a small gold amulet around her neck.

"Malon? What's going on?" Link looked at her, hoping for an answer. The expression on her face was the same as the one Saria had worn, blank and emotionless. He took a step back, watching her look up at him.

"You don't belong with us. You were raised as one of them, a Kokiri. You belong in the forest." The children began to fade away, disappearing one by one. Link reached out to is friend, his hand passing through her as though she was simple an illusion, rippling like a reflection in the water. The voices never ceased, hunting Link from every side. He dropped to his knees, clutching his head in an attempt to drown out the noise. Tears fell, falling silently too the ground. He could hear something approaching, footsteps growing nearer. They were coming from behind him, where Saria had been. He turned to face the source, hoping to see his friend. His eyes widened in fear, his body frozen. An armoured figure stood before him, towering over him. The armour shimmered in the light, the blades of its battle axe sparkling with deadly beauty. Link recognised it, an Iron Knuckles. The beast raised its weapon high above its head, Link's eyes closing tightly as it came down. The sound of steel impacting the ground echoed all around, the last sound to be heard before everything grew dark and silent once again.

Link bolted upright, sweat running down the sides of his face. He looked around, his mind slowly taking note of where he was. He found himself in a small room, sitting on a bed. _Just a nightmare…just the same stupid nightmare…_ He glanced down; pulling the covers up higher when he noticed the top of his tunic was missing. White bandages were tightly wrapped around his ribs, another around his head. A wave of nausea and dizziness washed over him, making the world around him spin. He groaned as he leaded forward, sitting up again at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Glad to see you're awake, you had us really worried." The half dressed boy looked around, seeing Maria sitting on a chair beside the bed. He glanced past her, seeing his equipment lying in the corner of the room. Maria followed his gaze, reaching into a pouch that hung from her waist.

"You hit the tree pretty hard; a lot of your stuff was damaged. Your bow, sword and shield escaped undamaged; so did your masks. I left them in here so the little ones won't try to play with them. There was…one other item that wasn't damaged…" Maria turned her gaze to meet his, pulling a small object from the pouch. She held a beautiful blue Ocarina, three small golden triangles glistening at the base of the mouth piece. Link recognised it as a gift from one of his closest friends, the Ocarina of Time. He gently took it from Maria, pulling it close to his chest and closing his eyes. He smiled; relieved it hadn't been damaged in any way.

"Thank you…" Link's voice echoed softly throughout the room, making Maria smile. She brushed a strand of black hair from her face, pushing him back down onto the bed.

"You're welcome. Now, get some rest. You need it." Link nodded at Maria, giving a yawn. The nightmare had taken its toll on his already tired body, his eyes drifting closed as he lay there. In a matter of moments he was asleep again, Maria watching over him. She brushed some hair away from his face, moving it behind his Elvin ears.

"Sleep well…you have a long road ahead of you…" Maria watched him smile in his sleep, holding the Ocarina close to his heart. She couldn't help but smile, leaning back on her chair as she watched over his sleeping form.

"Your journey's only just begun…"


	4. Business as usual

**AN: It's been a long while since I last posted a chapter. I wasn't happy with earlier drafts and life had gotten the best of me for a while, but I'm back on track with this chapter and already have the next in progress. This one's a little long, longer than I planned for it to be, but I had to get a few things covered for the sake of the story.**

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Sunlight filtered through the window of the caravan, casting shadows over the room as if trying to grasp at whoever was inside. The room was empty, devoid of life for the time being, its occupant no longer resting.

Clad in the green of fields, Link sat beside what appeared to be a pond a short ways from the caravan, in his hands rested his Hero's Bow, his eyes scrutinising it for any sign of damage or weakness following his encounter with the creature a handful of days ago. The shaft of the bow seemed to be sound, there didn't appear to be any cracks or breaks along to the wood. The only damage done to the weapon was that the string had snapped. It was unfortunate for Link that he didn't know anyone or anywhere to get the bow restrung, nor did he know how to resting it himself. The quiver for his bow was intact, yet lay empty now. What few arrows he had before the fight had been lost when he hit the tree, either scattered or broken, the memory of which made him sigh and scratch his blonde hair. He winced and gave a sharp hiss, his head was still sore from where he'd hit the tree and his entire body felt heavy and sluggish.

Sprawled at around him were the remnants of his equipment; items and weapons gathered from Termina and Hyrule, many ancient and mystical by nature. He had spent the last few days resting in bed and decided that he couldn't lie around any longer, the thought of not doing anything and relying on others bothered him. The caravan turned out to be part of a group that were travelling around and would past close to Hyrule's boarders in about a week, which made the journey seem easier since he wasn't alone. They'd stopped to rest the horses and gather some supplies from a nearby town, so Link took the time to go though his possessions and check them over for damage. So far things weren't going so well; most of his items were either broken in some way or simply refused to work. Even his Whirling Blade technique, the magically augmented Spin Attack handed down to him by the Great Fairies had slipped from his grasp. His magic had left him, along with the strength and stamina gained from his quest in Termina, leaving him weakened and no stronger than when he set out from Hyrule.

Setting the bow down he picked up the Hookshot from beside him, examining what was easily the most damaged of his items. A large crack extended from the firing trigger, running down the golden body to the hook itself, exposing the complex inner workings of the device to the eye. A couple of the gears looked bent and the chain looked damaged, a fact that became truth when a test fire of it caused the mechanism to seize up and jam. What had once been an invaluable tool was now little more than dead weight, he only hoped that someone would be able to repair or replace it sometime in the future.

The rest of his items varied in levels of damage; from the hardly touched, but empty, pouches that held Deku Seeds, Sticks and Bombs, to the shattered remains of glass bottles and a wooden Pictograph box. The bottles had been the most useful items at his disposal; enchanted glass containers that had at one time or another held all manner of liquids, concoctions and other useful items ranging from insects up to and including Fairies. Now they were but glass shards wrapped up in cloth, all but one of the six shattered beyond use. Link had found the cork had been lost, but had replaced it with one from the broken bottles.

There wasn't much that had escaped without damage; The Lens of Truth seemed unscathed but refused to work without magic to fuel its truthful gaze and the large and somewhat unwieldy Great Fairy Sword was lost in the forest following the encounter, while the four masks that Link had kept from Termina were safely locked away in a chest in the caravan. The first three had at one time allowed him to take on the form of another race, Deku Scrub, Goron and Zora, but their power too seemed to have vanished. The final mask was similar, but vastly more dangerous. Gifted to him by Majora itself before they battled, the mask seemed to resemble the face of a silver haired Hylian adorned with war paint. From inside the mask, Link had been able to feel a dark power radiating. Even Tatl, the fairy who had accompanied Link on his quest, commented that it might very well be as dark and as powerful as Majora; an evil and wicked entity that had threatened to destroy Termina as well as threatening the world at some point in the past. As tempted as Link had been to use that mask to face Majora on an even footing, he couldn't bring himself to use it. Something deep inside him warned him against it, warning him that he could become the very thing he fought against when he stood against Ganondorf and Majora.

The only other items Link had that had escaped damage were a pair of Ocarinas; the first was a brilliant blue with three golden triangles set at the base of the mouthpiece in the shape of a larger triangle. This was the Ocarina of Time; a treasured possession of the Hyrule Royal Family. He couldn't begin to understand what had driven Princess Zelda to lend him such a precious object, given they weren't exactly close friends, but it had been invaluable in saving Termina. Perhaps Zelda had a vision or a dream, much like she had done with Ganondorf. Link pondered this as he brought the second Ocarina, a plainer looking one, up to eye level. This one had been his first Ocarina; a gift from his closest, and perhaps his only friend, when he first left the Kokiri Forest. Even after gaining the Ocarina of Time, he kept the Fairy Ocarina with him as a memento and a good luck charm. Bringing the small brown Ocarina to his mouth, he began to play a few notes, only to be interrupted by an apple landing in his lap and breaking his concentration. He looked up to see Maria looking over his shoulder, her black hair shimmering in the morning light.

"I thought you might be hungry." Maria gave Link a smile and sat down beside him, picking up his bow and looking at it. She carefully set it down and took a bite out of her own apple, looking out over the water without saying anything for a moment. "Can I ask you a favour? I want to go into town to pick up some things before all the good stuff sells out, but no one can take me. They're all busy and they won't let me go alone. So, I was wondering if you could take me."

Looking over towards him, she could only watch as Link picking up several of his items, watching in amazement as he managed to fit them in to pouches and wallets that should have been much too small to hold them. Soon everything was tucked away out of sight, leaving only Link's treasured Kokiri Sword and his reflective, yet creepy, Mirror Shield visible. The face on the shield was barely visible in the daylight, so much so that it wouldn't be noticed unless reflected on to a wall. As he rose to his feet he offered his hand to her, smiling and motioning with his head. "What are we waiting for?"

Time seemed to pass quickly as Link and Maria walked along a well trodden dirt path, the peaceful sounds of the world around them broken occasionally by the sound of laughter. After finally getting permission from Maria's father, they had been allowed to depart once he had sharpened the Kokiri Sword and filled Link's only remaining bottle with homebrewed Red Potion. Link was certain he'd over-filled it, since he'd barely been able to get the cork back in without losing any of the contents. He'd been thankful for his giving him a whetstone to sharpen his sword with, although he wasn't keen on sharpening it too much since he was only borrowing the sword while he travelled. He knew better than to argue, the man had been so well built he looked like he could heft a fully grown Goron with one hand before throwing it a mile.

The journey into town was unremarkable, the time spent by Link entertaining Maria with tails of some of his travels and adventures in Termina; of battling monsters and exploring forgotten temples, being careful about what he said and leaving out the parts about the Skull Kid and Majora's Mask. Maria's responses were as varied as the stories Link told, although often her reactions consisted of her giggling, giving Link a shove, calling him a terrible liar with an overactive imagination. Stopping to take in the beauty around then, Link stretched his arms out in front of him and then above him, feeling several muscles pop in his back. He looked back over his shoulder at the field they'd been walking across for the last hour, the indent from the wheels of a heavy wagon and footprints marring the otherwise unspoilt sea of green that reminded him of Hyrule Field.

"Are you listening?" These three words snapped Link back to reality, turning his attentions back to Maria. He simply nodded and remained mute, something he often did when caught off guard or put on the spot in some way, prompting a sigh from his companion as they started walking again. "Anyway, like I was saying, I wanted to ask you about your pouches. How are you able to place all your items into something so small?" The answer she got was not what she expected; Link simply shrugged and placed his hands behind his head as he walked.

"I don't know, I just can I guess. Maybe they're bigger on the inside or magic or something. I never stopped to think about it." He could see the confusion on Maria's face and smiled, leaving her guessing for a moment before continuing. "Everyone in my village has them; mostly they use them for gathering fruits and vegetables, but I find they make an ideal adventurer's pouch. No matter how heavy an item, if you place it into the pouch it never makes it weigh any more. I never questioned it because it's normal to me."

Maria let out a sigh and shook her head, curious about how the pouches worked but it was obvious to her she wasn't going to get any answers from Link. Her demeanour picked up when she began to hear the sounds of the town ahead of them. Giving a giggle she ran ahead of Link. "Come on slowpoke." Link gave a snort and chased after her, not wanting to lose sight of her.

By the time he'd caught up to her they were both screeching to a halt at the gate of the town, able to see the people moving about and jostling for positions at the stalls and booths lining the sides of the road. Both of them looked at the crowd with a mixture of awe and joy, taking in the madness for a moment before trying to dart and weave their way through the crowd. After much effort they found themselves at the centre of the town, resting on the edge of an ornate stone fountain to catch their breath. It had been a long time since either of them had seen that many people in one place; all around them was the chatter of friends and the shouts of merchants trying to sell their wares, the angry exchanges between people as they bartered over prices or argued over who saw what item first at the stalls. It was enough to make Link think the world had gone insane. Turning her head toward Link, Maria tried to say something, but her words were lost in the noise around them. The only way she could get his attention was to poke him, which got her a poke in her arm and a childish grin from him before he leaned in to listen to her. A quick conversation saw them disagree on what to do; Maria wanting them to go separate ways and do their own thing, while Link was a little worried about keeping track of his friend, both for her safety and because he didn't want to answer to her giant of a father. In the end they decided to stick together, and it wasn't long before they were standing side by side at a medicine stall, Maria haggling with the merchant over a bunch of herbs while Link yawned and moved on to the adjacent stall. Looking over the items, he picked up a small bundle of arrows and asked the merchant the price, hoping he had enough with the few Rupees he had tucked away. The answer, however, was not what he expected.

"Bundle of arrows? Two coppers." Link blinked and dug into his wallet, bringing out a small red gem and two blue ones, amounting to 30 Rupees. This would normally have gotten him a bundle twice the size of the one he held; instead it got the one in his hand snatched away from him along with a rather nasty glare. "I said two copper coins, not three stones. Do I look like a charity case to you?" The merchant grumbled and shooed Link away from the stall, quickly turning his attention to someone else and trying to talk them into a purchase. Stuffing the Rupees back into his wallet Link walked away, not getting far before he saw someone at another stall calling him over.

"Oi. Yeah, you in the green. Come 'ere" The merchant waved Link over and kicked a box his way, letting the lad climb up for a better look at his wares. "I can see you ain't from 'round 'ere. Maybe we can 'elp each other out." Climbing onto the box, Link looked at the various items laid out before him, leaning on the edge of the stall for support before looking up at the merchant. The man was rather large and barrel-chested, tall and muscular like some would expect an adventurer to be. His brown, unkempt hair looked as though it had been cropped short but left to its own devices as it grew, growing uneven and covering the tips of his pointed ears.

His face and forearms arms were covered in various scars, ranging from minor cuts and faded marks to more prominent sets that looked like they were made by some very sharp claws. One scar was particularly nasty and caught Link's attention; starting part way into the merchant's throat it wrapped around to the left of his neck, running up to his jaw and then along to his ear, curling behind it and up the back of his head, leaning deep trenches in his hair, the hair around it hanging over it and masking the full extent of the damage. The rest of his upper body was hidden by a ragged grey tunic, soiled in places with dried mud, flashes of silver peaking out from tears and rips in the fabric as something underneath reflected the light of day. "Feel free to 'ave a look. We'll make a deal if you see somethin' ya like."

Link looked over the items before giving a disappointed sigh, stepping down from the box as he got a rather bemused look from the merchant. "I don't have anything to pay with. Not anything that is taken here." Digging in to his pouch he pulled out the Rupees from before and showed them to the merchant, this time it was Link's turn to look bemused as the merchant threw his head back and laughed.

"I was right; you ain't from 'round 'ere. They use coins out 'ere. He pulled out a couple of copper and silver coins, showing them to the boy. "Bits of metal they beat flat. Different metals are worth more. They're called Leots, but no one really uses that name, they just call 'em coins or refer to them by the metal they're made of. Just like those Rupees, you use 'em to buy stuff. These ones…" He held up a copper coin before continuing "are made of copper. They call 'em coppers 'round 'ere. Lowest value coins they use, they're worth one Leot. The other one is silver, an' a silver coin is worth twenty coppers. There's a gold one an' all, that's worth the most. You get a bag o' those and you can have anything ya want from any stall 'ere." He gestured around him with arms out wide, drawing more than a few glances and glares from the other people. "And since I like ya, I'll buy something off ya. Ya see, I'm a collector of rare items, equipment and treasures, and that there shield of yours is mighty rare indeed." Link pulled the Mirror Shield off his back and looked at it, angling it so it didn't reflect the sunlight into his eyes. He had always thought it to be unremarkable; to him it appeared to be little more than a highly polished metal plate fixed to a small brown shield by three gold finger-like clamps on the left and right of the shield. The only part that stood out was the distressed face in the metal that appeared when reflecting light from its surface.

"Mirror Shields are rare, not many blacksmiths know how to make one. At least, not many know how to make a good 'un." The words caused Link to snap out of his stare, almost losing his green hat as his head snapped up to look at the merchant. "So I'll offer ya a deal; twenty silver coins and thirty coppers. How's that sound to ya?" The larger of the two watched as the boy thought it over, staring into the shield as if it held the answers. "I'll even throw in a replacement shield for ya." He turned around and rummaged through a crate of goods behind him, muttering to himself about misplacing merchandise before picking up something wrapped in cloth and turning back around. "Ya might like this. Good quality shield it is." He pulled back the cloth to show off a metal shield slightly larger than the shield Link already had and much different in appearance; the main body was a royal blue, surrounded on all sides by a boarder of bare silvery metal. The shield was an odd yet familiar shape, starting at a point at the top and gently sweeping down either side, the edges then curving outward and down to the bottom of the shield until they formed a single point again. A little less than half the shield's face was covered with an image of a red bird of some sort, above which stood three golden triangles forming a larger whole, two on the bottom with one at the top. These were instantly recognizable to Link as a symbol of the Triforce, a divine relic of the gods hidden in Hyrule and a symbol of the kingdom. Link recognized the shield right away as being a Hylian Shield, or at least a variant of Hylian Shield since it smaller than the ones used by the Knights in Hyrule but still larger than the Mirror Shield. It wasn't exactly child-sized, but it looked small enough that he could use it. He'd once owned a full sized Hylian Sheild meant for adult use, and the best he could manage was to keep it on his back and defend like a turtle by crouching and bending over so the blows struck the shield like a shell.

"Make it twenty-five silver coins and twenty-five coppers and you have a deal." Link watched with a smile as the large man howled with laughter and then countered with another offer, marginally above his original. Link shot back with his own and the two were battering and haggling like it was a game, trying to see which would back down and concede first. In the end it was Link who relented and accepted the latest offer of twenty-three silver coins and twenty copper coins, which put him slightly above the original offer's value. A quick count in his head told Link that he now had four-hundred and eighty Leots and a new shield to boot, one that didn't send chills up his spine and offered better protection. Handing over the Mirror Shield, he watched the merchant wrap it in cloth and the place it into a large trunk behind him, locking it with a large metal padlock and pocketing the key before handing over the new shield to his customer. Taking in both hands Link flipped it over, checking the back for any sings of damage to the wood underneath, the metal handle or to the leather strap. Once he was satisfied it was sound, he slipped his right arm through the strap and grasped the handle, giving it a few shakes to check the weight was comfortable before bringing it up in a defensive way. He nodded, more to himself than to anyone else, and quickly slid the shield off and reached behind him, managing to hook it onto the leather belt that held the scabbard for his sword without needing to see what he was doing. He rolled his shoulders and almost fell back from the weight increase throwing him off balance, quickly finding his feet and his balance before seeing a brown pouch resting on the edge of the stall.

"Them there are ya coins. Don't go spending them all at once now." The merchant gave Link a beaming smile and crossed his arms over his barrel chest, watching the boy fasten the pouch to his belt among the others. "So then, what are ya buyin'?" Link looked up at him with a smile and hopped back up onto the box, picking through the odds and ends for anything that might be useful or that would make a nice gift to take back. It wasn't long before he was haggling again over trinkets and knickknacks, pulling out his bow from one of his pouches and handing to the merchant for examination, asking if he knew anyone who could restring it and making sure to point out that it wasn't for sale and that he just needed to get it repaired. Raising the eyebrow, he looked at the boy and asked "How did you manage to fit this in one of those?" His reply was a shrug and a rather confused look, followed by "It's bigger on the inside. I don't know how it works, it just does." The larger of the two quickly gave up on the conversation, since it was apparent it wasn't going to get him anywhere, instead turning his attention to the bow. Pulling a small, thin wire from a pouch he tied it to the bottom of the bow, pulling down hard on the to until the shaft bent over and then tying the other end to the top, restringing the bow and then handing it back to the boy. "Three coppers and I'll throw in a bag of strings." Link dug around in the pouch for three of the copper coins and handed them over, taking back the bow and another pouch for his growing collection, pulling out one of the bow strings and using it to tie his Bomb Bag closed before attaching both to his belt and stuffing his bow back into where it came from with another curious look from the merchant.

As Link stepped down from the edge of the stall, something to the corner sparkled and caught his eye, he hand reaching over and pulling back a piece of cloth to reveal three small pendants; each one comprised of a golden chain suspending what appeared to be a small shard of a precious stone. Bringing the first one up to the light, he watched at the light caught the edges and seemed to dance about inside the ruby red shell, as if trapped and seeking to escape into the world. The second was a brilliant blue stone that Link assumed to be a sapphire, the light different as it passed through. Instead of dancing and moving, the light seemed to hang in place and hover, almost content to remain trapped forever. The final of the three was a radiant emerald that caught the light in a way that it seemed to bend and weave inside, reflecting off the sides and imperfections, like a great storm raging within. Digging into his pouch, he offered five pieces of silver for each of the pendants, turning over the coins with a smile before handing them back, taking the pendants and slipping them into a pouch before hopping off the box, thanking the large man, and disappearing back into the crowd with a wave and a smile.

It didn't take long for Link to muscle his way back to where he'd left Maria, stifling a chuckle as he saw her exactly where he left her, still haggling over herbs to the point where she didn't even seem to notice he'd been gone. He returned to the stall next to her and turned his attention to the assorted adventurers provisions before him, receiving an angry glare from the merchant behind the stall as he picked up two bundles of arrows and several bombs, tucking the fist sized blue spheres into his Bomb Bag before slipping the arrows into the quiver and making a quick count, happy that the number was at least in the double digits, setting down eight copper coins in front of the scowling man before moving back to Maria's side and waiting for her to finish up. It took her a few moments of further haggling to acknowledge Link's return, if she even noticed his absence in the first place, and a little while longer even notice the differences in his equipment and items.

He watched her tuck the herbs into a bag before smiling at him, his right hand scratching the back of his head absentmindedly. He looked at his hand as she took him by his left wrist and suddenly dragged him into the crowd, giving a yelp and following as they ducked and dived through the sea of bodies before emerging on the other side. The area was wide open and only a single large house stood there, set against the face of a cliff. The house itself was at least three stories tall, in addition to any basement or cellar it might have had, but it looked like it had seen better days; tiles hung dangerously from the roof, several those that remained up there were cracked in places and numerous were missing altogether. Two of the windows on the upper levels had their glass smashed, with the ground levels boarded haphazardly with rotting planks. Link wandered over to the door and gave it a push, finding it to be surprisingly solid and recoiling when he heard a meek voice behind him. "Stay away from that house." He spun on his heels to find a young girl beside Maria, watching as his companion jumped in fright from her sudden appearance before trudging over to her. "It's a haunted house, no one who goes in come back out. No one's gone in for a long, long time." The girl bounced on her heels as she spoke, almost excited to be talking to them, her auburn hair forming waves behind her and her sunset yellow dress dancing in the breeze.

Stopping in front of her, Link shuddered for a moment, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise. A gasp and a giggle from the girls was all the incentive he needed to turn on the spot, greeted by coming face to face with something shiny and blue. It took but an instant to recognise the colour and lunged for the object, watching it float of his reach and taunt him with a cackle, something unseen and familiar teasing him with it. "A Poe…" he growled, clenching his fists and making another dive for the object, missing and fall face first into the dirt. "Give back that Ocarina!" He pushed himself to his feet and sprinted for the instrument, finding it constantly out of his reach before it flew over his head, laughter echoing around him as he chased it further and further from people, twisting and turning and leading him towards the dilapidated building. The door swung open and the Ocarina disappeared into the darkness, Link skidding to a halt and catching his breath as Maria nervously came up next him, a hand on his shoulder and urging him to let it go, stepping back as the boy unhooked the shield from his back and edged towards the building, stepping over the threshold and into the darkness, the door slamming close and the same cackle filling the air. Standing behind Maria was the girl, giggling and watching like it was all a play, a wicked smile flashing across her face before the look of innocence masking it.


	5. Haunted and hunted

Laughter echoed around the dark room and reverberated off the walls. It seemed to come from all sides as Link trudged slowly into the dimly lit hall; the only light to go by came through gaps in the boards across the windows. He kept his shield ready as he went and took slow steps, his heart leaping into his throat as every step he took echoed in the darkness. The young swordsman expected something to come at him from the darkness as his eyes scanned for any sign of movement or flicker of light. His mind tracked back to his time in the ancient temples and tombs he had visited on his travels, many infested with monsters and spirits. A childish laugh snapped Link out of his thoughts, reacting in time to bring his shield up and block something flying toward him out of the gloom. The object hit the metal face of the shield and shattered on impact, shards piled at his feet as he looked down to find it had once been a china plate. Several more came his way from the darkness with a handful missing him completely and smashed against the walls as the laughter echoed around him.

Just as quickly as it started the room turned deathly quiet, the only sounds being the thuds of Link's boots against the floor and some distant shuffles off in some far forgotten corner. He inched forward with his shield still up, his left hand crept up and his fingers curled around the hilt of his sword, slowly drawing it from the scabbard on his back and cringing as the noise seemed deafening in the silence. The shuffling stopped for a moment before it started again, this time headed toward Link at a steady pace. Two small orange lights appeared in the darkness, belonging to something that slithered and squirmed as it moved closer. Another pair of eyes joined it from behind a hidden object and another soon after, Link could only watch as the numbers increased with each passing moment.

Link backed up and cursed loudly as he bumped into something large and flat. He decided he better off on top of it rather than on the floor to face the ever growing pack. One passed through the light from the window and confirmed his suspicions. Link instantly recognised it as a black Boe; a basketball-sized monster that was little more than a clump of shadow and dust with eyes. A single Boe was relatively harmless as each one is weak, little more than an annoyance in truth, but as their numbers increases so to did their threat. He quickly pulled himself up onto the surface of his salvation, a large heavy oak table covered in a thick layer of dust. He stared down at the squirming sea of eyes and shadows and watched as the vast majority of the jumpers collided with the table rather than reach him. One of the Boe's managed to leap high enough to reach him, only to be batted away with his shield and fall back into the black mass. A second one leaped up onto the table only to find Link drop back into the middle of the table before it was punted across the room. The creature hit the far wall with a dull thud and exploded into a puff of black and purple smoke on impact.

Reaching into one of the seemingly bottomless pouches around his waist, Link pulled out a small blue orb the size his palm and watched it expanded considerably a moment later to become the more familiar bomb he knew. There was a loud hiss as the fuse lit under its own power as he lifted the bomb up to head height, his arm drawn back with intent to hurl the explosive into the crowd of monsters gathered at his feet. Before he could throw it one of the Boes made a leap up high and tackled him square in the chest, the boy knocked off his unsteady stance and toppled over. He landed flat on his back with the creature sat on top of him triumphant; the bomb unceremoniously tossed into the air and left to fall uncontrolled onto the edge of the table. The bounce was erratic as it rebounded into the crowd and hit one of the Boes between the eyes, detonating as soon as it came into contact with the creature. The roar was deafening as the explosion rocked the room, the force of the blast flipped the table into the air as if it weighed nothing. Link found himself thrown onto the ground before he managed to scramble out of the way as the table back to earth flat side down, a number of Boes flattened under it as the survivors scattered back into the darkness. He staggered a few paces before leaning against something solid, Link covered his pointed elfin ears with his palms and waited for the ringing to stop while grumbled to himself as one of the creatures peaked out for a look before sulking back into the shadows. The room was still infested with them but the blast had scared them away for the time being, driven back into hiding after their numbers being cut down. Taking advantage of the lull in their swarming, Link backed up into the hall and decided to try another room in search of his Ocarina.

The next room, so far as he could tell, was some sort of large kitchen. In the centre of the room he could make out some sort of table or counter in the dim light, caution guiding his movements as he edged in with his shield raised. There was a loud crash behind him as the door slammed shut in the darkness, moments later the stove roared to life at the far end, the room illuminated by the flame's orange glow. Link could see candles dotted around the room and one-by-one they came to life, their flames danced and flicked as if caught in a breeze. Everything went deathly quiet. Link could hear his heart pound against his chest over the gentle crackle of the flames and dried wood, a shrill cry cutting through the silence like a knife. The fires around room exploded into new life, warm orange gave way to shimmering grey as the tables and fixtures shook violently. Plates and rusted utensils floated into the air, hovering for a moment before hurtling towards Link as the boy crouched down and raised his shield, keeping behind it as best as he could. The objects hit the metal with a crash and either bounced off or shattered loudly as the laughter continued. More and more items were pulled from disused cupboards and shelves, swirling and spinning like a great vortex before everything stopped, suspended in the air for a moment before being dropped to the floor with a crash. Link peered over the top of his shield and nudged at chunks of broken china with his boot, waiting for a reaction from the shards that never came; he muttered to himself and decided it was safe and slowly crept forward.

He'd gotten half way across the room when the candles roared back into life, every object in the room seemed to rattle and groan as the flames swelled and twisted about on their wicks, even Link's shield rattled on his arm as if something was trying to pull it away from him. A sudden loud noise to his right caught his attention as the stove was ripped from the wall by some unseen force, held aloft in the centre of room which gave Link a better view of it in the light. The cast iron body was rusted and holes allowed the flames to claw their way out, the grate that covered the fire contorted to form what looked like a grin as other objects were pulled towards it. Cupboards ripped from their mountings and shelves pulled free from the walls, haphazardly connected to the iron body to form crude arms and legs. The candle flames danced with renewed vigor as the newly formed 'creature' bellowed and took its first uneasy steps towards Link. It easily towered over the child as he backed away from the monstrosity, his shield raised in a vain attempt at defence before common sense took hold and he bolted down the hall behind him, the darkness giving way to light as the beast gave chase, tearing through the doorway with an almighty crash and sending debris in every direction. The narrow hall proved to be no obstacle as it tore through the walls to get at Link, like a great living battering ram it smashed its way through the walls and chased after him without end, driving him ever deeper into the house with its rampage.

The hall opened out into a room and Link skidded to a halt and turned with his shield raised as the monstrosity battered its way in and hurtled toward Link. It drew its arm back and launched a clumsy punch toward the boy only to have Link back-flip out of the way, its fist smashed through the floor and becoming stuck. The moment he landed Link felt the floor shift and groan beneath his feet, looking down for a moment to see cracks appear in the wood as the monster tore its arm free. It raised both arms above its head it brought them down like a hammer, smashing through the floor and sending it and the boy plummeting into the basement below.

Link groaned as he came too and muttered something under his breath as he shook his head. He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees before slowly finding his feet in the gloom. The fall had knocked him out and, from the beams of light filtering through into the room above, it was now late afternoon so he'd been out for a while. He looked around to see a pile of rubble and broken items not far from where he stood, topped by a now cracked and dented stove. Around the room were rotten crates and neglected items, objects from a life long since gone from the world. A spark from the corner caught Link's eye and lured him over, the darkness of the room slowly gave way to a faint yellow light from inside one of the crates. Reaching inside he pulled out a small miner's lantern, holding it up with one hand while still holding his shield with the other, squinting past the light to find its source; a tiny, barely moving fairy. He quickly placed the lantern under his arm and pried the top off, a few sharp shakes coaxing the fairy out onto the back of his shield before he discarded the lantern into the box from whence it came. Moments past before the fairy fluttered into life, the tiny being lifted itself up under its own power and then darted past Link before it spiralled around him almost happily and gave off a more brilliant golden light.

Link smiled and watched the fairy dart and swirl, it reminded of his home in the forest and his brief time with Navi, the fairy sent to guide him on his first grand adventure. His moment of tranquillity was broken by the room becoming bathed in ethereal grey light, prompting him to draw his sword from his back and turn to face the pile of debris as the stove rose into the air. Objects were pulled from all corners to form the body of the beast, powerful arms and legs formed from stone and steel, flames connecting each piece to the next and filled in the gaps like muscle around bone. The grate on the stove was missing now and Link could see into the very heart of the flames. Deep inside was another lantern, this one forged of wrought black iron and purple glass, an all too familiar one that Link recognised as belonging to a Poe.

The Poe-driven amalgamation drew its right arm back and threw a punch at Link, only to find it missed its target as the boy darted to the left with the Fairy in tow. The boy leaned to his side and skidded before he dived under a left hook. He rolled to his feet and bounced on his heels a few times to get a rhythm for his movements, having to jump back to avoid being stomped on before he dashed forward and drove his sword's cutting edge into the creature's leg as he passed under it. The blow had no effect on it and Link kept running to keep out of its reach, diving forward to avoid a hammer blow from both arms. The force of the impact caught him mid-air and tossed him into a crate before he bounced to the floor with a groan, having landed on his back he looked up to see the underneath of a large foot coming down at him to end the fight. He rolled to the side and scrambled out of the way, managing to avoid the foot as it came down and turned as he came to a halt, raising his shield and trying to pick out a point of weakness to attack. His eyes darted over the hulking form as it pulled its foot free from the crater it had made, ideas and strategies ran through his mind only to be cast aside as he backed away to keep his distance. He rolled to the side to avoid another punch aimed at him and watched as the fist plough one of the stone walls and became lodged in it.

Tightening his grip on his sword he prepared to charge, only to be stopped by the fairy landing on his shoulder and talking into his pointed ear. "Damaging the vessel will do no good; it will just rebuild itself unless you strike at the heart of the beast." Link knew the heart had to be the Poe but removing it would be difficult since he couldn't get close to the lantern to grab it. There was also the point that he didn't want to get close enough to the flames to get burned by them. A mental check of his usable equipment narrowed down any possible ways to go about the task, leaving him with only one that stood any chance of working.

The unmistakeable ring of metal on metal rang out as he sheathed his sword once again and turned to the Bomb Bag, swiftly retrieving one of the explosive orbs from inside and hurling it a the exposed back and watching as it exploded the moment it hit the stove. Another quickly followed and a dent began to form in the stove, minute cracks and holes in the metal allowing the flames inside to leak out. Countless ages of neglect had allowed the metal to rust and corrode, only the Poe at its core kept the stove from coming apart from the stress of the explosions. The lumbering beast ripped its arm free of the wall and turned to face Link with a bellow as the boy knelt down away from it. He pulled out a bomb and hastily forcing an arrow into the bomb's shell along the fuse as it lit, offering a silent prayer of thanks to the gods that the bomb hadn't instantly detonated in his face. The fuse continued to burn as he quickly nocked the arrow and drew the bow string back as far as he could while he lifted the makeshift weapon to take aim. The addition of the bomb made the arrow very front heavy and cumbersome, thicker smoke rose as the fuse began to run out. He held his breath and relaxed his fingers, the string slipped from them and sent the explosive tipped arrow hurtling toward the beast. Everything seemed to slow down as the arrow slipped past the arms and into the gaping maw that was the stove's opening, finding its mark at the back of the stove it blew the back out with a thunderous roar and a shower of glowing metal shards. The Poe shrieked inside its metal casket as the creature staggered back, stunned by having the back of its head blown out.

Wasting no time Link draw a second arrow from his quiver, sliding the notch around the string he drew back as far as he could without overdoing it. He took aim and let the arrow fly, hitting his mark as the arrow drove itself into the lantern and forced it out of the hole in the back. The arrow disintegrated mid-flight as the flames reduced it to ashes while the arms on the creature fell limp at its sides. Piece by piece it fell apart until it was nought by rubble once again. The lantern hung midair for a moment before the Poe faded out of the shadows, invisible a moment ago but now clear as day and enraged. Its body looked as though it was pieced together from tattered old rags and scraps of cloth, barely larger than the child that stood before it. A hood covered what would be its head and cast shadows on all within, concealing anything that could resemble a face until only its eyes were visible in the darkness, glistening like two yellow gemstones in the dying firelight.

The ghostly creature gave a shriek and charged at Link, waiting until it was close before it swung its lantern like a weight. Waiting until the last possible second Link threw his weight into the attack and forced an opening, the Poe recoiled as the lantern bounced off the shield and left wide open as it recovered. The boy drew his sword in a single sharp motion and brought it up to cut diagonally across the Poe before he plunged the blade into the cloth of the body. He grabbed the hilt with both hands he yanked it to the left, cutting his way out of the creature's torso as it burst into flames and turned to ash. The lantern fell to the ground and shattered, leaving behind an odd purple flame floating inches off the floor, a face clearly visible in the fire before it faded with a twisted laugh.

Sheathing his sword as quickly as he drew it Link began to pick his way through the remains of that had made up the Poe's larger body, hoping that his stolen Ocarina wasn't damaged if it was inside. After what felt like an age there was no sign of the instrument, even with the fairy helping by checking small areas or under debris that was too large to lift out of the way. He gave a sigh and shook his head as he stepped out of the remains of the creature, kicking one of the smaller pieces in frustration before something in the corner of his vision caught his attention drew him over to the damaged wall. There seemed to be faint light coming from beyond the crack and the wall didn't look as thick as it appeared from the front, a quick tap with the bottom of the shield giving an almost dull echo instead of the usual ringing of steel on stone. Link was familiar with hidden rooms from his adventures and there was only one real way to get into them. He retrieved a bomb from his pouch and jammed it into the gap at it expanded; hairline fractures appeared in the bomb's shell as the fuse burnt down. Link backed up and raised his shield before he crouched and braced for the blast, his eyes closed tight as the bomb detonated and brought down a large section of the wall to reveal a concealed passage carved into the stone behind it.

The passage stretched on into the darkness for an eternity before it finally gave way into a wide room, faintly lit with blue light that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. Looking up Link couldn't see the ceiling; instead particles of light cascaded down from an endless void above his head like great waterfalls from the heavens. Stone pillars stretched up into the endless expanse in contrast to the flowing light, the slabs beneath his feet glowing as he stepped onto them. At the end of the room was a large stone pool filled with the purest water one could imagine, a fountain of liquid crystal hidden away from the world. Link recognised the room as a fairy's fountain, and fountains as grand as this were usually home to a Great Fairy; powerful and often ancient beings of great knowledge and power, many of whom took kindly to visitors and adventurers and would share their gifts with them. At the edge of the pool Link could make out an object sitting there, a few steps closer and Link could make out that it was a small instrument. Its blue body seemed to take in the light and glow, the tiny golden markings at the base of the neck dazzling even at a distance. He recognised it as the unmistakeable Ocarina of Time, his precious gift from the Princess of Hyrule.

Link quickened his pace and broke into a run, only to be stopped in his tracks when the fairy flew up in front of his face and flashed an angry yellow. No sooner had he skidded to a halt than a shadow appeared on the floor a few feet in front of the pool, standing between him and his lost item. The edges of the shadow pulsed a menacing purple as it expanded, slowly it crept across the floor like something was leaking into the room from below. Link could see a silhouette of something moving in the darkness, a crouched figure standing up from within the shadow. It towered over Link and looked to be clad in heavy plates of thick armour, covering it from head to toe and giving it an unnatural and inhuman appearance. It reached down and plunged its hands into darkness at its feet like it was water, grasping at something before standing back up. The towered figure drew a large Claymore and a matching shield from the nothingness, wielding them with enough strength to make them appear weightless. Standing at its full height at almost double Link's height it advanced on the boy as he drew his own weapons, glancing behind him to see a wall of solid light raise up and block the only exit from the room.


	6. Phantom

**AN: This chapter will be replaced with an edited version once revisions are complete. In the mean time, enjoy.**

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Link watched as the shadow spread wide enough to engulf him, almost in awe as something stirred within the darkness and dragged itself out into the light. Rising to its full height it stood twice the size of Link, heavy featureless black armour covering it head to toe. Plunging its right arm into the darkness at its feet it pulled out a menacing Claymore and a shield for its left arm, the black steel of the blade standing out against the silver hilt of the sword, the ghostly knight standing motionless for a moment before slowly advancing toward Link. The armour seemed to faintly pulse with every slow step, sending ripples of purples across the jet black surface.

With a quick glance over his shoulder Link could see a wall of light erected in front of the entrance to the room, which quickly began solidify into crystal before he turned his attention back to his opponent. Whatever it was that was advancing on him didn't seem to be in any hurry to reach him. The heavy clunk to metal on stone echoed off the walls as the knight continued to advance, the scuffling of leather against the stone hidden under the louder noise as Link backed up to keep some distance between him and his opponent. It reminded him of the Iron Knuckles; suits of heavy armour brought to life by some powerful magic that acted as guardians, wielding menacing battle-axes capable of cleaving through solid stone columns with the ease of a farmer reaping wheat with a scythe.

Link watched as the armoured apparition raised this sword both hands, holding it high above its head before bringing it down with bone shattering force. The blade hit the stone floor with a clang and buried itself into the ground as Link dived pasted the knight, rolling to a stop in a crouched position and reaching his left hand up to the hilt of his sword poking over his shoulder. His grip tightened as he ripped it free of the scabbard, the blade glinting in the light as he looked for a chink or crack in the armour to assault. Sparks flew as he lashed out at the unguarded back of the creature, only to have the armour along the back open up. A sickly yellow eyeball rolled inside the concealed socket with a squelch, staring at Link and causing him to recoil in surprise and disgust. He snapped out of it a moment late in time to bring his shield up, the armoured abomination bringing its own shield round and slamming it into his, sending him flying several feet before he landed with a thud and skidded into the side of the fountain. Groaning as he pushed himself to his feet he raised his sword, shaking his head and grinding his teeth as the fairy landed on his shoulder.

"The creature is a Phantom. Once a valiant knight, centuries ago it fell into darkness and serves to guard this fountain. You must slay it to escape." Link reached his right hand behind him and fumbled for Ocarina, not taking his eyes of the Phantom as it turned and strode towards him. Once he found it he quickly darted past the approaching knight, diving as it swung downward and to his feet as he kept away from it. Sheathing his sword in one quick motion he searched his belt for an empty pouch, depositing the Ocarina there before drawing his sword again.

"How do I slay it?" He glanced at the fairy, hoping that it was going to give him a useful answer. The Phantom silently pulled itself free of the floor and turned to Link, once again beginning its slow advance on its quarry. The fairy was silent for a moment before replying, the pause worrying Link.

"The eye you saw is its only vulnerability. You would have to pierce it with a blessed weapon or divine spell." The answer got a groan out of Link as he reached into his pouch for one of his bombs and hurling it at the Phantom and striking it square in the chest. It detonated on impact and gave Link an opening to move, darting past the knight and dropping a bomb at its feet as he passed. A deafening clang rang out as the knight swung its heavy blade down with all the strength it could muster, missing its target as the boy nimbly leapt to the side and backed away again.

"So what you're saying is…" Link glanced at the fairy as the fuse on the second bomb ran out, the ensuing blast throwing the knight off balance and giving a few seconds to think. "I'm as good as dead without divine intervention." He gritted his teeth and watched the knight regain its footing, lumbering towards him like it had all the time in the world. "This is the fountain of a Great Fairy, right? So how do we call the Great Fairy?" Link's eyes darted to the fairy hovering just in front of him, tracking back to the knight in time to see it lower its head and barrel towards him as fast as it could.

Link gave a yelp as he dived to the side in time to avoid being impaled by the Phantom, the point of its blade driving home into the wall and becoming stuck there. He took a deep breath as the fairy gave him his answer. "The power of the Great Fairy has been sealed inside the fountain by the Phantom's master. If you can break the seal, she will be free." A smirk crossed the boy's lips as he sprinted to the edge of the fountain itself, skidding to a halt and placing his hands on the edge before quickly drawing his hands back. The moment he'd touched the stone he could feel something was wrong with the fountain. Glancing over his shoulder at the Phantom to make sure he had enough time he pulled out his Ocarina and brought it to his lips, hesitating for a moment to think about what he should play before settling on a song that had helped him before. The notes resonated off the walls and reached high into the darkness above as Link played a song filled with conflicting emotions; sadness, desperation and bitter anger lingering on every note, mixing like a storm brewing in the soul.

From the void up above a drop of water fell into the fountain with a splash, another and another soon following as a crash of thunder shook the room. The Song of Storms, a song twice learned and often played over the course of his adventures. It had the power to summon a storm and to cleanse the soul of those who hear it, lifting curses and washing away the darkness in the heart. The water in the fountain rippled and shimmered unnaturally before turning a deep, angry purple. Amid the falling rain Link could see the outline of something in the centre of the fountain, a flash of lightning revealing it some kind of metal spike driven into the base of the fountain. Tracing a path from it Link could see that several more spikes were lodged in the stone rim, rain hitting loosely hanging chains connecting each one to form a pattern or symbol.

Rain continued to beat down on everything in the room as Link pulled himself up onto the fountain, trudging through the water and sheathing his sword. Throwing all his weight into it he tried in vain to move the central spike, looking over his shoulder to see the Phantom abandon its sword and make its way toward Link unarmed. Thick blobs of black and silver dripped from the sword like lumps of wet clay, falling to the ground with a splat and melting away as the Phantom paused for a moment. Plunging its hand into the shadows again it pulled out a new weapon by its long shaft, using both hands to wield a heavy and utterly terrifying warhammer.

Link gulped as he threw himself against the spike once more, his feet sliding against the stone beneath the water as it spike refused to budge, leaving him to slump back and glance at the advancing Phantom. Reaching into one of his pouches he produced a brown mask, resembling the face of a Goron; large creatures known for their impressive physical prowess as well as being Lithovores, as their diet consists solely of rock and mineral deposits they mined. He glanced over his shoulder to see how much time he had as he Phantom reached the edge of the fountain, turning his attention back to the mask and taking a sharp breath before holding it to his face.

The moment the back of the mask settled on his face he doubled over agony, his arms wrapping around his waist as he gripped his ribs, feeling his bones crack and reform as his body changed from the inside out. The fairy hovered around his head being careful not to get close, watching as Link dropped to his knees in the water as he battled the pain. The Phantom stepped up onto the edge of the fountain and slowly advanced, passing through the chains as if they weren't there. There was a deep, almost bestial growl as Link grabbed the central spike with body hands, his body convulsing before he let out an agonised yell, startling the fairy and causing it to back away from both him and the fountain. The water of the fountain exploded upward in a column before crashing down as waves and flowing over the edges onto the floor. As the water settled Link was nowhere to be seen, instead there knelt a hulking mass of brown skin, ridges of hard stone running down the back of it as it rose up and adjusted the thick leather gauntlets on it forearms before picking up the floppy green hat floating in the water and placing it on its head. The mask had transformed Link into a Goron, granting him the strengths and weaknesses of the race in the process. Grabbing the spike with both hands he roared as it ripped free of the fountain with relative ease, the chains snapping as he swung the spike toward the Phantom, striking it in the chest and forcing it back.

A loud clang echoed throughout the room as the transformed Link discarded the spike, flinging it clear of the fountain and lurching forward with his fists balled. His body dropped slightly as he drew his left arm back and threw a mighty punch, his fist connecting with the armoured helm of the Phantom and staggering it back, following with a right hook and pushing it back further. Driving his shoulder into the chest of the creature, Link turned his body into it and grabbed the handle of the war hammer with both his enlarged hands, yanking it free before gripping it tightly. Twisting his body he put everything he could into the swing, the head of the hammer connecting with bone shattering force and punched the Phantom clean off its feet and out of the fountain. The Phantom landed on its back and skidded a few feet, the heavy armour scraping at the stone floor as the transformed boy discarded the weapon.

Link moved up to the edge of the fountain and grabbed one of the remaining spikes, yanking it free and carrying it over to the Phantom, driving the heavy shaft into the chest of the creature and pinning it to the ground before locking his fingers together and driving it home into the stone floor with both hands. Once he was happy it was secure he stepped back and brought his hands to the side of his face, dropping to his knees and pulling at his face until it stretched, a brilliant flash of light obscuring his transformation back into his true form, the mask in his hands.

He stepped back and leaned against the edge of the fountain, drawing heavy breaths as he watched the Phantom squirm and try to pull itself free of its impalement. If the fairy was right then it wasn't going to die from being skewered but the spike would at least hold it down for the time being. Time enough for him to plan and catch his breath. The transformations always left him winded and drained after using them; the magic contained within each one took their toll on him with each use. He quietly slipped the mask back into his pouch as he kept an eye on the pinned Phantom as it writhed and squirmed, seemingly out of frustration rather than pain.

Turning his back to the trapped entity Link rested his hands on the edge of the fountain and peered into the water, staring at the stone bed inches beneath the water's surface, waiting for something, anything, to happen. He looked up to the small golden fairy as it fluttered around his head, waiting for an answer to the questions that rattled around inside his head; where was the Great Fairy? Who had sealed her away inside her own fountain and for what reason? The town was not his home, nor was it even a part of Hyrule yet he was curious. His nature compelled him to seek answers and get involved in the problems of others; the great goddesses having seen fit to make their chosen champion compassionate as well as courageous.

The fairy seemed to sense his questions as she fluttered around him, a trail of light falling like snowflakes as she twirled around his head before suddenly darting out toward the centre of the fountain. The tiny golden ball light spiralled up into the air before diving down into the water, hitting the surface with a faint ripple and vanishing without a trace. Everything seemed to fall still for a moment as the water turned the same brilliant gold that the fairy had emanated, shafts of light reaching out into the void above as something new emerged from the surface. The form was undeniably female as it rose to its full height in a column of light as brilliant as the morning sun, long and unrestrained hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of spun gold and pooling on the surface of the water as if it was the solid stone floor of the fountain. Robes of the finest silk hang off her body as great wings extended out behind her in a single swift motion, each one an intricate pattern of lines and honeycomb shapes like the lacy wings of a Damselfly.

Her eyes slowly opened as she looked around with a new clarity, looking at her hands and flexing them before spreading her arms wide and leaning her head back as she spoke. "Long ago the power of the Great Fairy of this fountain was sealed away by a great darkness and her body perished at its hands. I am the last of her children. Oh brave young warrior, you who has broken the seal of the darkness placed upon this fountain, you have allowed me to succeed her as the Great Damselfly Fairy. I am indebted to you." The moment that followed was rather awkward for Link as the Great Fairy lifted the hanging edges of her robes and bent forward, giving a very regal bow more fit for greeting royalty than thanking someone, a blush creeping across his cheeks and up to the tips of his ears. The fairy gave him a beaming smile as she stood back up to her full height, only to have it quickly fade as she looked him over. "You have been touched by darkness and robbed of your strength." She frowned as she raised her hands and closed her eyes, using her power to lift Link off the ground. The boy could only squirm as he was pulled from the floor by an unseen force and suspended in mid-air. It wasn't the first time he had experienced being forcefully levitated, many of the Great Fairies he had visited lifted him in the same way in order to heal him.

He hovered in the air for a few moments before he found himself engulfed in warmth and light, feeling the weariness of battle wash away as he closed his eyes. By the time he opened them he had been set back on the ground. He stated at his hands and flexed them as if expecting something to happen only to have the gentle voice of the fairy snap him back to reality. "I have done all I can to restore what was lost. A great many gifts were taken from you by the darkness and I am not yet strong enough to replace them all. All I could grant to you was some of the magic you once wielded."

Link opened his mouth to thank the Great Fairy when a sound from behind him drew his attention to the Phantom as it melted back into the ground. The sound of metal rubbing against metal sang out as the boy drew his blade, the faint light of the room reflecting off the silver blade as he tightened his grip and waiting for the creature to return. The silence of the room was almost unbearable as Link gulped, his boots scraping against the stone floor as he edged forward while keeping his shield up in case of an attack. The shadows in the corners of the room seemed to pulse and writhe with a silent rage as though they ached to lash out at the youth and tear into him like beasts into their prey.

A cry from the fairy caught his attention and pulled his attention back to the fountain in time to see his own shadow swell and spread over the floor at his feet. A glint of light was his only warning as the silver blade of a narrow Longsword shot forward from the darkness at the base of the fountain. Link brought his own sword up to deflect the blade, steel greeting steel as the tip of the thrusting blade nicked his left cheek and cut the tip of his hat. A bead of blood ran down his skin as his opponent emerged from the shadows before the boy could recover, lunging forward with its left hand open wide. Thick armoured fingered gripped tightly around the child's neck as the Phantom effortless lifted him off the ground and held him high. The boy squirmed and kicked his legs in vain as the grip tightened, making it harder to breath and sending his face a bright red. His Kokiri sword slammed against the forearm of the creature as he tried to break free, bouncing off the armour over and over as he tried to hack his way free. His eyes widened as he watched the Phantom bring its right hand back around and draw it back, levelling the blade and taking aim at his torso. The forearm of the Phantom blocked his attempt to bring his shield across to defend himself, his vision blurring from the lack of air and the blood rushing to his face.

Link closed his eyes and braced for a pain that never came. He instead found himself hitting the ground hard amid the howling of wind and opened his eyes in shock, staring at the Phantom for a moment as it screeched in pain and dropped its sword with a clang. The creature clutched at the stump that was once its arm, missing from the elbow down and dripping thick black sludge. The offending limb still clutched at Link's throat as the boy dropped his own sword and pried the fingers loose, gasping for air as he tossed it aside and watched it melt into the floor. The cool air was both refreshing and painful to his burning lungs, tears welling up in his eyes as he rolled over onto his hands and knees and coughed between breaths. His free hand rubbed his sore neck as he felt the presence of something standing over him, looking up to see the Great Fairy towering over him like a mother bear protecting her cub and looking just as angry.

"You will not touch this child again, tainted one." Link squinted up at the fairy as she spoke, watching her bring both of her hands close to her chest with her palms facing each other. The air between her palms rippled and distorted until it formed a visible ball of swirling wind, the Great Fairy thrusting her hands forward and unleashing the controlled wind as several large arrows, each one embedding themselves into the armoured torso of the Phantom before detonating with enough force to leave a half dozen fist sized dents in the plating. The fairy wasn't finished as she brought her palms together and slowly parted them as arcs of electricity jumping between her hands before she unleashed a blinding bolt into the heart of the beast. The chest plate of the Phantom began to glow a dull red from the heat as lightning danced over its dark surface, scarring it before punching it off its feet and onto its back with a crash.

"I bid you rise, young hero. It will not stay down for long and I am not yet able to call upon the magic needed to slay it." Link groaned as he pushed himself to his feet and leaned down to pick up his sword, taking painful breaths as he gripped the hilt tightly. He watched as the Phantom plunged both arms into the shadows at its feet and pulled it back out with the forearm reattached, clutching a poniard knife in one hand and a larger broadsword in the other.

Link didn't wait for the Great Fairy to speak again, his body lowering slightly before he charged forward at the Phantom with his shield raised. The ghostly knight raised the broadsword high before bringing it down at the charging warrior, the heavy blade cracking the stone floor as it drove its cutting edge deep as Link darted to the side at the last moment with his shield raised, sparks flying as the poniard scraped across the surface of the metal shield. The blow forced Link onto the back foot and the Phantom followed up by turning away from Link, pulling the sword free of the ground and dragging it across the stone as it turned to face its target before bring it up diagonally at the boy, missing by a hair's width as the child rolled under the blow and sheathed his sword in one fluid motion. He quickly drew his bow with his left hand and took aim at the knight's feet, his breathing shallow and calm as he drew the arrow back. His breath caught in his throat as the arrowhead glowed a pale blue before he released his hold, letting fly the arrow in a flash of blue. The arrowhead exploded on impact with the armoured boot as the magic quickly went to work. Soon thick ice held the Phantom in place, cracks appearing in the surface as of the ice as it jerked and pulled before it finally managed to break free.

A smirk crept across the boy's face as he turned tail and dashed to the fountain with the Phantom close behind. Leather scraped on stone as he clambered up onto the stone edge and turned to face the Phantom, pushing off and into a back flip as he deftly avoided the heavy broadsword slamming into the fountain. His movements seemed to taunt the Phantom into following him and he soon got the result he wanted as the Phantom disappeared into the ground and emerged from his own shadow. Sparks flew again as steel blades clashed with Link's shield, the water of the fountain kicked about with each movement of the two.

A thunderous roar echoed as another salvo of wind arrows struck the back of the armoured phantasm as it raised its sword up high. The spell knocked the Phantom off balance long enough for Link to retreat to the stone edge of the fountain and nock another arrow, the arrowhead a brilliant blue. Once more the magic worked quickly and formed ice to trap the Phantom, only this time it froze the entire fountain to do so. Ice held fast up to the Phantom's shins as it struggled in vain to escape, the surface cracked as it hacked at the ice but yet refused to release its grip.

Link's eyes narrowed as he made his way around the edge and behind the trapped Phantom, an arrow silently drawn from his quiver as he looked over at the Great Fairy. He could see she was fatigued from using her magic to help him, her wings had faded to the point they had almost vanished as her radiant golden light had ebbed away to a dull glow as she hovered over the stone floor for a moment before reverting back to her smaller fairy form.

Teeth gritted as he levelled his bow, Link focused the last of his magic into the arrow and turned it a faint gold, waiting for the right moment to let fly. He muttered a curse under his breath as the ice cracked more, his arrow aimed at the armoured fold on the back of the Phantom. The moment the eye cracked open he let fly his arrow and watched it drive itself into the sickly yellow eye with a disgusting squelch, screams of pain resonated off the walls as the Phantom thrashed in agony before the Light Arrow exploded in a shower of gold. Shafts of light erupted from the gaps between the armour plates as the Phantom doubled over, one last howl of pain escaping before it shattered apart and exploded into specks of light that rained down like snow. As the particles of light fell the barrier that had trapped them slowly faded, no longer able to sustain itself with the source of its power gone. Link let out a heavy sigh of relief as he tucked his bow away into one of his many pouches and sat on the edge of the fountain to catch his breath, looking up at the fairy as she landed on his shoulder.

"Gather your strength and listen well young warrior, for your quest here is not yet finished and there is much you need to know."


End file.
